The field of the invention relates generally to electrical transmission equipment and more specifically to a fuse holder for use in electrical circuits for example those circuits used in electrical transmission equipment.
Fuses are regularly used in electrical circuits to provide protection for electrical components from electrical overloads. Fuses are for example used in electrical transmission equipment to provide protection for electrical components from electrical surges originating from the power line or from excessive electrical loads. Replaceable fuses are often used. These replaceable fuses are often placed in electrical or fuse boxes. The electrical or fuse boxes may be located where they are not easily accessed and may be mounted in any orientation where space permits.
These replaceable fuses are consumed and provide an open circuit when exposed to a sufficient overload. Such replaceable fuses need to be replaced once consumed. Access to such replaceable fuses in electrical or fuse boxes is often difficult, particularly when the fuse box is located in a poorly accessible location.
The fuse may need to be safely replaced without disenabling the power in the line. Once removed, it may be discovered that a replacement fuse is not available which may necessitate that access to a hot power line may need to be prevented when the fuse is not in the holder.
Some fuses are quite large and need to be inserted easily and safely into the fuse box, while not contacting the hot power line. The fuse boxes for these large fuses may accommodate may fuses and are inherently large. Minimizing the size of these fuse boxes may result in making access to the fuses more difficult, as sufficient space between adjacent fuses for accommodation for access by hands into the box may be compromised.
The present invention is directed toward alleviating at least some of the above mentioned difficulties with the prior art.